Replacement heater



July 23, 1935.

L. w. cHlLD REPLACEMENT HEATER Filed Jan. '7,A 1932 U U U U U U U U U U v :4/1 rA/Ess 5V type of heater wherein a. blower produces a cur- Pare-need July 23, 1935 2,0@&945

REPLCEM'ENIT HEATER Laehlaii 1 W.. child, roieao; ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments to Aeriet Air Conditioner Company,` a corporation of Illinois w Application January 7, 1932, Serial No. 585,3134 v- 17 olaims. (01. 257-138) V 4 end walls secured'to said corner posts with their end portions covered'by the fianges of said corner posts, whereby a very sturdy yet ornamental construction is attained. a

A further object isto provide an arrangement My invention relates to heaters of the type emi 'ployed in conditionirig the air within dwelling houses, ofiice buildings and the like.

, More specifioally, my invention relates to that I rent of air which is passed over a steam heated radiating element and Wherein the blower, ra-l diatoiand controls are housed within a cabinet which serves not only for housing purposes but also to direct the air stream so as to produce a substantially horizontalflow of ,heated air into the space to be conditioned.

An object of this invention is to produce a heater of this typewhich 'can be readily substituted for a common steam or hot water radiator of the type now commonly used for heating dwelling houses and oflice buildings. For this reason, the present invention has been entitled Rep-lacement heater. It is to be understoocl, however, that I do not intend in my clams to limit myself to heate ers merely for replacement purposes inasmuch as the heater could also be employed in aninitial installation. I

An object of the invention is to so arrange the radiator and blower that the fioW of air within the cabinet will be in an upwarddirection and furthermore, correlate the arrangement so that the steam connections may be entirely concealed and yet be made very simple, accessible, and not subject to trouble -from expansion and contraction stress.

A further object is to provide a novel mounting for the heating element which is not only of .extreme simplicity butk also facilitates assembly and installation and serves to semi-insulate the heating element from the rear wall of the cabinet so as to minimize radiation losses from the rear of the heater. i

A further object is to provide a novel cabinet construction including a front panel Which can be removed for inspection andrepair of the as'- sembled units within the cabinet. o

My invention further contemplates a compact arrangernent including an ,evaporating pan in combination with the cabinet and the interiorly assembled units before mentioned.

A further object is to provide in theiarrange ment mentioned in the last paragraph,4 easy acicessibility to said eva-porating pan; This object is specifically Vachieved by the 4`employment of a hinged cover'member for the evaporating pan.V i; Another objectis toprovidera noveldurable I a 4 and inexpensve cabinet construction including walls I 2, andthe rear wall-,713 are each respeccorner posts Vof angleA iron terminating` at their tively Secured to one face of their respectiverpost lower endsin UI'WU (11.57 flaed legsiandideifi flanges. blg' hefepy. COVedivaft, tlli" IIC .by

insulator wall whichlcooperates with the rear insulator wall to form a restricted space in which the radiator is positioned and through which all of: the air from the blower must pass, said front insulator wall, by virtue ofl its being carried by the front panel, being removable therewithlto disclose the heating element from the front;

With these and other objects in view my ine vention consists in the cembination construction and arrangement of the variousv parts thereof, Whereby the objects conteinplated are attained, as more fully set forth in the accompanying specifications, pointed out in my claims, and il.- lustrated in the accompanying drawing, in whichz' Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my replacement heater, parts being brokenaway tobetter illustrate the-entire construction .thereo Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the i heater taken on the line-2`-'-2 of Fig. l. Figr3 is a detail plan view of one corner. of the heater, Vparts being broken away to illustrate 'the sliding 'front panel construction.

' taken on the Fig;V 4 ista detail sectionallview line 4-4 of Fig. 2. V

I have used. the reference character A to indicate generally the cabinet of the heater, the reference' character B to 'indicate the radiator unit, the reference character C to indicate the blower unit, and the reference character D'fto -indicate the evaporating pan.v i j i, The cabinet A includes corner posts IO which are L shaped inI cross sectionand which at their lower ends are fiared outwardlyto provide the legslLi Endwa'lls 12 aresecuredto the side flanges of the posts [9, and a rear wall l is Secured to the rear flanges of the rear posts lil` The upper edge of the rear wall 13 is turnedV forwardly to provide a flange M Which serves bothV to reinforce the rear upper edge of the cabinet and alsofto support one side of the trough D. V

bottom wall 15 has the downwardly bent forward and rear skirts 'IS Which are securedto rear corner posts IVO respectively. U N a vIt will be understood that the skirts l6,;theend the forward and rearflanges of the Vforward and e wherein the removable front panel carries a front v said post flanges as indicated in Fig. l. This produces a very sturdy and yet ornamental cabinet construction. The respective wall members are secured to their respective post fianges preferably by spot welding, although riveting might be employed.

The forward panel i? is slidably mounted between the forward flanges of the forward posts IQ and a strut i8 connecting the upper forward corners of the end walls E2. The lower edge of the panel l'l is received behind a bead 19 secured to the skirt IG and extending the full length of the cabinet.

Intake louvres 23 are pressed in the lower region of the panel il', and discharge openings 2l are provided in the upper region thereof. The upper edge of the panel il is turned inwardly to form a fiange 22 which serves not only for reinforcing purposes but also to support the other side of the evaporating pan D".

A cover 23 is hinged at 25 to the rear wall I O at its upper edge. The forward region of the cover rests upon cushioning buttons 23 secured to the flange 22 beyond the ends of the evaporating pan llDi).

The blower assembly C includes a base 26 secured upon the bottom wall [5 of the cabinet, a motor 21, and centrifugal fan units 23 mounted coaxially at opposite ends of the motor 21. A top plate 23 connects the casings of the two fan units 28 and also serves to close from the bottom the space within which the radiator B is confined. That is, the said space is closed by the top wall 29 except for the discharge openings 30 in the top wall 23 registering with the discharge ports of the centrifugal fan units 28.

The front wall of the radiator compartment is formed by a front insulator wall 31 carried by brackets 38, hereinafter described. Longitudinal ribs 34 brace the front insulator wall construction.

The rear wall of the, radiator compartment is defined by a rear insulator wall 35 secured at 36 to the rear wall EB. The insulator wall 35 is spaced from the rear wall IO by means of the inclined portions 3''formed integrally with the insulator wall. The term insulator refers to the insulating properties of theV air spaces formed between the walls 3! and 35, and the external walls of the cabinet. v A pair of radiator brackets include each a plate member 38, a side flange 39 formed integrally therewith and secured to the insulator wall 35, and a top fiange 40 from which the U bolt hanger 4l is suspended. v i

A slot 42 in the lower end of the plate member 38 receives the nipple 43 by means of which the radiator B is attached to steam line 45.

. The nipple 43 is suspended in the hanger 4I and the burrs 46, threaded on the upper ends of the hanger 4I, serve to draw the nipple 43 into engagement with the upper ends of the slot 42 which determines the proper position of the radiator B with relation to the cabinet.

Should it be desired to drop the radiator lower, this may be accomplished by loosening the burrs 46.

' In the steam line on one side of the cabinet, may be included a valve 44 for controlling the flow of steam through the radiator.

On both sides of the radiator, the steam line 45 extends downwardly through the bottom wall 15 of the cabnet and thence through the floor which supports the radiator. Connection may be made by attaching the vertical pipes to elbows '2,oos,945

41, the llatter forming part of the replacement heater assembly. The skirts 1G conceal the pipes 45 from view.

The evaporating pan D has the hanger brackets 48 which rest upon fianges l4 and 22 respectively. The cover 23 may be lifted to inspect or fill the pan D.

Current is carried 'to the motor 21 through a four way switch 51, a transforme'r'52, and a system of transmitting wires enclosed in a cable 53. The motor 2? isa Variable speed motor, and the four way switch and transfer-mercontrol are a Conventional unit used in connection with variable speed motors.

The combination of a Variable speed blower with a steam heating unit and evaporating pan gives a number of distinct advantages, among which are the ability of regulating the distribution of heat from the heater and also the possibility of regulating the amount of humidification produced thereby. For instance, an increase in the speed of the blower will to some extent increase the amount of heat supplied to the evaporating pan, and the increased suction flow of air from the discharge openings 2I will produce a greater amount of suction and thereby draw off a greater quantity of the vapor from above the pan.

The increase in the amount of air passing through the heater will increase the amount of heat delivered from the heater for the reason that the larger volume of air will extract a greater amount of heat per unit of time from the radiator and the radia-tor will consequently draw a greater amount of heat from the steam passing through it. Anytendency of the radiator to cool under the greater withdrawal of heat by the air current will cause a contraction in the body of steam passing through the radiator and a resultant tendency to speed up the feeding of steam to the radiator owing to the reduced pressure within the radiator. In this way, the Variable speed blower is particularly effective in connection wth a steam unit in the Variable distribution of heat.

When the device is'in operation, the blower C will direct air through the louvres 20, pass it upwardly through the radiator compartment, between the insulator walls 3I and 39, and after the air has been heated, it will pass forwardly through the passage openings 21 It is to be noted in this connection that the forward side of the evaporating pan D is inclined as at 49, providing a baffle wall to defiect the air currents forwardly. Contact of the heated air with the pan will gradually evaporate the water therein, and the vapor thus produced will be aspirated by the air stream 53, as indicated by the reference numeral 5l', owing to thepassage of the stream 50 close to the space between the forward edge of the cover 23 and the upper forward edge of the panel H.

The air flow is indicated in Fig. 2 by arrows 5B.

The insulator walls 31 and 39 not only restrict the flow of air to a path which forces all of it to engage the radiator, but also intercept radiation to the front and rear walls of the cabinet thereby assuring that a maximum amount of heat will be transferred to the air current flowing through the heater.

The inclined portions 3'2-31 guide the air emerging from the blower, between the insulator walls 3| 39.

The walls 3I-39, and bracket plate 38, form a radiator compartment which restricts the air arms-,945 v flow so that substantially all of it will contact the radiator.. 4 i

The panel IT may be raiscdfor inspection or repair of the internal .parts of the heater, and4 in doing so, the forward insulator wall 3l is removed also. v x Y I claim as myinvention: i

1. In a heat exchanger, a cabinet including four Vupright corner posts that are L :shaped in4 cross section, end and rear walls secured to the inner f-aces of the respective fianges of said posts, a bottom wall including integrally formed depending skirts the end portions of which are Secured to the inner faces of the forward and rear ilan'ges of the respective posts.

2. In a heat exchanger, al cabinet including .forward corner posts having forward flanges parallel to the front face of the' cabinet, end walls, a strut secured between the upper forward corners oflsa'id end walls and spaced rearwardly from said fianges, and a forward panel vertically slidable between said strut and said fianges.

3. In a heat exchanger, a cabinet including four corner posts having flanges parallel to the forward and rear faces of the cabinet, end and* rear walls secured to said corner posts, and a bottom wall provided with integral depending skirts Secured resp-ectively to said post fianges.

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4. In a heat exchanger, a cabinet including fixed end and rear walls and a vertically slidable front panel, a radiator, carried upon the rear wall and spaced rearwardly of the front panel, and an insulator wall spaced rearwardly of `said front panel, positioned closely adjacent the forward extremity of said radiator.

5. In a heat exchanger, a casing including front and rear walls, a rear insulator wall supported upon and spaced from said rear wall, a pair of radiator brackets secured to said rear insulator Wall and including end plates projecting forwardly therefrom, a forward insulator wall spaced from said forward wall and closely associated with the forward extremities of said end plates to-,form together with the end plates and the rear insulator wall a vertically extending confined space, a radiator suspended in said space and substantially filling the same horizontally, and a blower carried in the casing and positioned to deliver air to said confined space.

6. In a heat exchanger, a casing, a pair of radiato-r braclrets including plate members positioned substantially par-allel to the end walls of the casing, vertical slots in the lower regions of said plates, horizontal fianges formed at the upper extremities of said plates, U bolt hangers suspencled from said flanges and registering with,

said slots, nipples extended through said slots and supported by said hangers, and a radiator suspended upon said nipples. s

7. In a heat exchanger, a casing including front, end and rear walls, a radiator suspended Within the casing intermediate the topand bottom thereof, a blower carried in the casing below said radiator, an intake opening in the lower region of the casing, a discharge opening indthe upper region of the front wall of thecasing, and an evaporating pan suspended within the cabinet above said radiator, the forward w-all of said pan being inclined forwardly and upwardly and positioned. to constitute a bafiie to direct air forwardly from the upper region of the radiator and through said discharge opening.

8. In a heat exchanger, a cabinct including front, end and rear walls, a radiator suspended within the cabinet intermediate 'the top'and bottom thereof-,a blower carried in the cabinet below said radiator, an in'take `opening in the lower region of the cabinet, a discharge opening' in the upper region of the front' wall of the cabinet, an

evap'orating pan suspended Vwithin the cabinetvv above said radiator, the forward wall of said pan being inclined forwardly and upwardly and positioned to constitute a baflie to direct air forwardl from the upper region of the-'radiator and through said discharge opening,v and a cover Vhinged to the c'abinet and covering the top of the cabinet and said pan.

9.1 In a heat exchangen. a casing, a radiator suspended within the casing intermediate the-top and bottom thereof, a blower carried in the casing below the radiator and adap-ted to direct a stream of air upwardly from the radiator, an evaporating pan positioned above the radiator in the path of the heat-ed air discharged from said radiator,

the front wall* of the casing being provided with a discharge opening and said pan being positioned so that air discharged from the radiator may contact the pan and thence pass' forwardly through said discharge opening.

10. In a heat exchanger, an elongated casing, a radiator suspended within the casing and spaced from both ends thereof, a blower below the radiator, and a steam line including pipes projecting upwardly through the bottom of the casing and thence projected horizontally to the radiator, said steam line occupying the spaces between the ends of the radiator and the` ends of the casing.

ll. In a unit heater, an upright casing, a circulating fluid radiator positioned therein intermediate the top and bottom thereof and substantially filling the space from front to rear of the casing to form twoI compartments, a humidifying .means in one of said compartments anda Varied to create a current of air through the casing which will first contact said heating element and thence contact the humidifying means for producing a stream of heat tempered, humidified air which is controllable.

13. In a unit heater, an upright casing, a circulating fluid radiator positioned therein intermediate the top and bottom thereof and substantially filling the space from front to rear of the casing to form two compartments, a humidifying means in one of said compartments and a blower in the other of said compartments, adapted to create a current of air through the casing which will Vfirst contact said radiator and thence contact the humidifying means 'tfor producing a stream of heat tempered, humidified air. I

14. In a unit heater, an upright casing, a heating element positioned therein intermediate the top and bottom thereof and substantially filling the space from front to rear of the casing to form Vtwo compartments, a humidifying means in one of said compartments and a blower in the other of said compartments, adapted to create a current of air through the casing which will first contact said heating element and thence contact the humidifying means for producing a stream of heat tempered, humidied air.

15. In a heat transfer device, an elongated casing, a radiator suspended Within the cabinet and spaced from bothends thereof, and from the top and bottom thereof to form compartments above and below said radiator, a blower in one of said compartments adapted to draw a stream of air into contact With said radiator, and a heat transfer fluid line including pipes projecting upwardly from the bottom of the casing and. thence projecting horizontally to the radiator, said heat transfer fluid line occupying the Spaces between the ends of the radiator and the ends of the casing, the cabinet being provided With intake and discharge opening communicating respectively With said compartments. Y

16. In a heat transfer device, a casing including front and rear walls, insulator walls spaced in- 2,oos,945

wardly respctively from the front and rear w'alls, a radiator unit suspended in the space between said insulator Walls and substantially filling said space, and a blower positioned to deliver air to said space, the insulator Walls serving to confine the air stream delivered from said bloWer so that substantially all of it will contact the radiator.

17. In a heat transfer device, a casing including front and rear walls, insulator Walls spaoed inwardly respectvely from the front and rear Walls, a radiator unit suspended in the space between said insulator Walls and Ysubstantially filling said space and a blower positioned to deliver air to said space, the insulator walls serving to confine the air stream delivered from said blo-Wer so that substantially ali of it will contact the radiator, and terminating in outwardly flared portions connecting the blower compartment With the radiator space.

LACHLAN W. CHILD. 

